Scot Loeffler's Unit Has Not Improved

Scot Loeffler's unit looked woefully unprepared on Saturday. The Tigers had a busted play on the first drive. Those plays are normally scripted and memorized.

The final third-down play was a microcosm of Auburn's 2012 offense. Fooling no one, Loeffler called for the speed sweep to Onterio McCalebb that went for a small loss or no gain.

There were many times whem Auburn would run the same play consecutive times.

One play sequence that was very frustrating (and summarized Auburn's struggles) came after a Tre Mason 34-yard run. Here is the sequence: five-yard penalty, pass for no gain, penalty, another pass for no gain and then a sack.

Auburn has yet to score a fourth-quarter touchdown this season.

Loeffler, like his offense, has made zero progress as an offensive coordinator. Just like Tony Franklin was fired in 2008 after the Vanderbilt game, it would surprise no one for Auburn to have a different offensive coordinator when Auburn takes on Texas A&M next week.

This usually puts the Auburn offense in catch-up mode from the outset.

This may be due to expecting one thing and getting another to begin the game. Opponents usually script the first 10 or so plays of the game. The Auburn defense usually does much better after the first drive.

Excuses aside, if the Auburn defense played like it did from the second drive of the first half up until halftime, Auburn probably would have won the game.

Tigers Can't Capitalize on Missed Opportunities

A sad fact for Auburn fans is that James Franklin made a lot of coaching mistakes but still managed to out-coach the Auburn staff.

When opponents make mistakes, good teams find a way to make them pay for it. Auburn is not able to do that this year.

The Auburn defense had two fourth-down stops. One came on a fake punt that led to zero points.

Vanderbilt turned the ball over three times, but Auburn only scored only three points off the turnovers.

Clint Moseley had a wide-open Emory Blake in the end zone on a play would have tied the score early in the first quarter. But Moseley's pass fell hopelessly to the ground when he threw behind the sure-handed receiver.

Auburn is not good enough to let these opportunities slip through its hands. Auburn must learn to capitalize.

Mental Mistakes Will Come Back to Haunt This Team

Auburn only had four penalties on Saturday. That would normally be an acceptable number. However, when a team is this bad, free yards given to the opponent are magnified.

This Auburn team is not good enough to give opponents free yards. Auburn made plenty of mental mistakes on Saturday to give Vanderbilt valuable opportunities.

One of those occurred on special teams when Onterio McCalebb and Jonathan Jones interfered with the Vanderbilt punt returner. This gave the Commodores an extra 15 yards to start their drive.

Other times, an offsides penalty would cause the Auburn offense to lose any sort of momentum that it may have had. There were two false-start penalties after Tre Mason's 34-yard run in the third quarter.